Comesperma defoliatum

Leafless Milkwort at Nadgee, NSW

2 images

Identification history

Author's notes

This looked different to the other leafless species, C. sphaerocarpum, which tends to sprawl and be few-flowered, as all the plants were erect and around 30cm high, with only one open flower but 10 or more buds. Flowers are more mauve than blue, and the petals are a different shape from the broader sphaerocarpum petals. However, it won't key out because the fruits are not mature, so may not have attained their final attenuate shape yet. In heath near Jane Spiers beach.

3 comments

PlantNet key states that the wing sepals in defoliatum are mostly about 2-3 mm long, (implying a flower width of about 4-7 mm, and those of sphaerocarpum about 6 mm long, implying a flower width of about 10-14 mm. I don't see any problem.